Kent State students show off their plaques from the residence hall challenge during this year’s RecycleMania recycling competition with Engleman Hall winning first place and Centennial A and B receiving “most improved.” The students also display the Braggin’ Wheel after defeating the University of Akron in the friendly environmental competition and stand next to the newly planted tree.

Kent State students and employees work together to plant a tree during the annual Arbor Day celebration near the Centennial Court residence halls.

Heather White (right), grounds manager of University Facilities Management at Kent State, displays Kent State’s Tree Campus USA designation following the 2014 Arbor Day tree planting ceremony in the courtyard of Centennial A and B. She is pictured with grounds employees who helped the university earn this designation for a sixth consecutive year.

A Kent State student passes through a colorful scene in the Murin Gardens near the library.

Kent State students walk through the Risman Plaza, framed by trees, on a warm spring afternoon.

Kent State University faculty, staff and students gathered between residence halls Centennial A and B on April 24 for the annual Tree Planting Ceremony to commemorate Arbor Day and to celebrate the winners of this year’s RecycleMania competition.

More than 460 universities across the U.S. and Canada were invited to practice waste minimization during the eight-week competition. Kent State placed second in the state for recycling 263,354 pounds of material, which is equivalent to keeping 67 cars off the road for a year.

In the residence hall challenge, Engleman Hall received a first-place plaque and a $200 gift to the hall council for the fourth consecutive year. Centennial A and B received “most improved” and a tree in its courtyard.

Melanie Knowles, sustainability manager for Kent State’s Facilities Planning and Operations, said sustainability is encouraged on campus even after the RecycleMania competition.

“There are ways for students on and off campus to save energy,” Knowles said. “Saving energy saves money and the demand for electricity, which reduces air pollution.”

She urges students, faculty and staff to turn lights off and unplug charging devices when not in use. She said some residence halls on campus are already equipped with “smart power strips” that restrict the flow of energy when not in use.

About a dozen students and staff participated in this year’s Tree Planting Ceremony, which marks the conclusion of RecycleMania. At the ceremony, Kent State also was recognized for receiving the Tree Campus USA designation for the sixth consecutive year. Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation acknowledges colleges and universities that show their commitment to environmentalism and sustainability.

Knowles said the three pillars of sustainability are people, planet and prosperity.

“If these things benefit us financially, they’re good for us as individuals in a community, and it helps our planet,” she said. “There’s no reason not to pick a sustainable solution.”

For more information about RecycleMania, visit www.kent.edu/sustainability/recyclemania.cfm.

As a top Ohio undergraduate and graduate school, Kent State's eight campuses offer the resources of a large university with the friendly atmosphere of a liberal arts college. Enroll today to start pursuing your future at one of the best colleges in Ohio. We’ve been educating graduates for over 100 years; join us today.